Her Convenient Boyfriend
by LucifersSin
Summary: Ga Eul had distanced herself from Yi Jeong the night Jan Di went missing at the ski resort. One lie to her parents and circumstances lead to Yi Jeong spending a week as her convenient boyfriend. Old feelings begin to surface, jealousy becomes an issue, and bitterness from past experiences hold everything back. Opens with scene from Episode 12 of the Drama; slight AU then onward.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and the plot are the property of the author. The author is In no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

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 **Chapter 1**

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Yi Jeong looked at Ga Eul as she sniffled slightly. The snowstorm raged unperturbed outside the window and he knew that she was worried for her best friend. Even he couldn't deny that he was worried for Geum Jan Di and Jun Pyo (who had disappeared without a trace…again). A part of him wanted to console her and his hand had even twitched as if ready to reach out for her but he stopped himself. Now wasn't the time. Ji Hoo was on edge and he had tried multiple times to storm out the door to retrieve Jan Di.

"You'll just cause more trouble. Calm down," Yi Jeong said to Ji Hoo, keeping a firm hold on his arms.

"The roads are blocked and who knows where exactly she is. You could be up there for hours," Woo Bin said, maintaining just as firm of a grip on Ji Hoo as Yi Jeong.

"J-Ji Hoo _sunbae_ ," the timid voice that spoke up had all three males turning to look at the girl sitting on the couch. Ga Eul got to her feet unsteadily and moved to stand before Ji Hoo.

"Please let go of him," she said to Yi Jeong and Woo Bin.

"Ga Eul, he'll ju-."

"Please," she repeated, cutting across Woo Bin. Yi Jeong opened his mouth to tell her off but she turned those tear filled brown eyes of hers to him and he cursed himself for weakening with that look she sent his way. Ji Hoo made a move towards the door but stopped immediately when Ga Eul placed both her hands on his chest, an action that made the violinist and the ceramist freeze.

"I know you're worried. I know you're scared. I am too," she said softly, her eyes lifting to connect with Ji Hoo's dark ones.

"But she wouldn't want you to hurt yourself because of her, _sunbae_ ," Ga Eul said, stepping closer to Ji Hoo. A pang of annoyance shifted through Yi Jeong as he watched how focused his best friend was on Ga Eul. He was completely lax and wasn't moving a muscle, eyes too focused on Ga Eul and her words, so entranced that Yi Jeong felt a strong urge to hit his best friend upside the head. More importantly, he was wary of the slowly disappearing distance between the duo. He was so used to hearing her refer to him as _sunbae_ , it just didn't feel right when she used it for anyone else.

 _This stupid girl. She shouldn't be so close to him,_ he thought angrily. There was something akin to possessiveness swirling within him. The feeling that had been born quite recently and one that he hadn't been able to shake off once he named it. Although he did try his level best to push it away and not feel this way towards Ga Eul of all people.

The rational side of Yi Jeong knew that the moment he made a move to take Ga Eul away from Ji Hoo, he'd just go storming off into the snowstorm to look for Jan Di. He had to rein in his emotions and keep them in check for the sake of his friends. Yi Jeong so wished Jun Pyo was around, at least they could've had some semblance of order.

"She's a strong girl and I…and I…," Ga Eul broke off and Yi Jeong's heart plummeted when he saw her bottom lip quiver as a tear dripped down her cheek.

This girl and her tears. If there was one thing he couldn't stand to see, it was her tears. It was a fact that he'd accepted when he'd chased after her on Valentine's Day and had mocked her for misunderstanding what had happened between them. The moment she'd turned to look at him with those brown eyes of hers swimming with tears, it had taken all of his willpower to not apologize for his words and keep the façade of the Casanova in place; his heart twisting and churning in his chest.

Now, he wasn't about to stop himself from comforting her. He simply couldn't, not when those tears flowed so freely. Yi Jeong didn't think twice, getting ready to reach for her like he couldn't do all those months ago.

Except, his best friend was faster. He saw something shift within Ji Hoo and before Yi Jeong could even touch Ga Eul's shoulder, she was flush against Ji Hoo's chest with the violinist wrapping his arms tightly around her, shushing her and consoling her as she began to sob. The green eyed monster reared its head and clawed within Yi Jeong's chest, roaring and snarling at Ji Hoo as he stood there, hands hanging limply by his side. The feeling only intensified when Ga Eul's fingers clutched at the grey sweater Ji Hoo wore.

"I'm sorry. You're right, I…she wouldn't want any of us to hurt ourselves. I'm just worried sick," Ji Hoo said to her, his hand going up to stroke the dark locks of her hair. They waited patiently while Ga Eul calmed down, Yi Jeong shifting uncomfortably and avoiding looking at the two as he tried to maintain his composure while Woo Bin watched the scene unfolding before him with keen interest. When her sobs subsided into a sniffle here and there, Ji Hoo gently let go of her and bent down to her eye level.

"Let's stay strong, okay?" He said to her. She hesitated slightly but nodded and the two finally (Yi Jeong took a deep breath) moved away from each other. He took this moment to reach for her arm and in his classic manner, he tugged her out the room towards the hallway.

" _Sunbae_ ," she protested but he continued to drag her to her room and finally halted at the door.

"Freshen up and come back out here. Your face is swollen and I told you that I don't find women that cry very beautiful," he said. His heart twisted painfully when he saw the hurt flash through her eyes but what surprised him more was her turning away from him without a word.

"Lastly, don't get too comfortable with Ji Hoo," he said, not being able to contain the words. She paused with her hand on the door knob before she dropped her head in a light nod and disappeared into her room. He waited patiently for ten minutes and when Ga Eul didn't appear, Yi Jeong knocked on her door. When there was no response once more, worry began to settle in and he reached for the door knob. He made a mental note to scold her for not locking the door and pushed it open to step into the room.

Darkness enveloped him and Yi Jeong splayed his arms out trying to find the wall and the light switch. His searching stopped when he heard a sniffle and soft words.

"I can't do it anymore. Why do I have to be the one to suffer? _Sunbae_ is just as bad as the rest of them," she croaked as she began to sob quietly. The words sent a chill up his spine and he swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat. He reached for the wall again and when his fingers found the light switch he flicked it open. As the lights bathed the room, his gaze caught the figure that was hunched over on the ground in the corner. She looked up and when she spotted him, her eyes went wide and she scrambled onto her feet.

"Y-Yi Jeong _sunbae_ , I was just about to come out," she said, hastily trying to wipe the tears. But it was already too late, he'd seen them and he was once more finding himself weakening as he took her in. His gut churned when he saw the way she hugged herself, almost as if protecting herself from him.

"Ga Eul," he said taking a step towards her. She flinched and shuffled away from him, making him freeze in his tracks. Silence fell over them and Yi Jeong only stared at her unabashedly, his heart thumping wildly in his chest.

"Am I…really just as bad?" He asked her quietly once he was able to find his voice. Surprise flew across her face before she shook her head, still she said nothing.

"Ga Eul, I think we should talk," he said and this time, he found himself right in front of her in three giant strides. Grasping her shoulder, he led her to her bed and sat her down before he took a seat on the chair.

"Ji Hoo _sunbae_ and Woo Bin _sunbae_ will be waiting for us," she said, starting to get up.

"Do you know who I am, Ga Eul?" He asked her, ignoring her remark. She sat back down and looked at him, the slight crease of confusion forming on her forehead.

"So Yi Jeong," she responded, albeit a bit hesitantly. The beast within him purred contently as he heard her address him with his full name and he tried his level best not to let that satisfaction show on his face.

"Also known as…?"

"The Casanova," she finished for him. The look of pure innocence on her face was slowly beginning to cause something within him to hurt and he had a hard time saying the next words. But he also knew that they had to be said. She was too sweet, too kind, too caring for someone like him. An image of her and Ji Hoo painted his mind's eye and he pushed it away.

"Precisely. So, don't tell me that you are still hung up on that fake date? I'm telling you again, don't misunderstand anything that happened between us," he said to her, looking down to play with his ring. He couldn't bring himself to look at her in the eyes as he said the words, knowing what it was he'd see.

"Us?" She asked after a few minutes. When he looked up, he found her face completely void of any emotion.

"I was right, wasn't I? You're just as bad as Su Pyo," she said, a sad smile touching her lips as her hand lifted to rub her eye.

"You did the same thing. Went on a fake date with a girl, made her fall in love with you, and then just pushed her aside," she said, shaking her head.

 _Love?_

His mind went blank as her words registered. He had his admirers, but never had any girl had said she'd fallen _in love_ with him.

"You told me from the beginning it was fake but…why did you even do it, _sunbae_? I guess I was too easy of a catch. The foolish girl too swamped in her romantic dreams. You played your card of being the knight in shining armor very well," she continued, that sad smile never leaving her face.

"And you know what the worst part is?" She asked him.

"You've hurt me countless times and I know you'll continue to break my heart, but this stupid heart doesn't want to give up on you," she continued. Ga Eul wiped her tears away before she stood up.

"Don't worry. My love for you will never be a problem between us. For the sake of Jan Di and Jun Pyo _sunbae_ , I'm accepting my defeat," she finished by giving him a bow and then quickly fled from the room, leaving him too shocked to move a muscle.

Her words sunk in and the more he thought about them, the more he realized that she was right. He had indeed ended up using her as an excuse to get rid of all the anger he'd been feeling. After seeing his father do what he did to countless women, he'd jumped at the opportunity of treating one woman right and in his haste, he hadn't even thought about the consequences.

 _But you can't deny that the moments you shared with her meant something to you too_ , a voice in his head said. It highlighted the main concern, the main battle that had ensued within him since that day. The inner battle between his heart and his mind that was causing his behavior towards Ga Eul change constantly.

His mind told him she was just another girl while his heart reminded him how at ease he was with her presence. How helping her find her confidence had assured him that he wasn't his father. To see her smiling, blushing, and accepting his affection for that night alone had given him the assurance he needed. She was the type of girl that he never would pursue but she was also the girl that calmed him down and made him _the_ better man.

The constant back and forth between his heart and mind had been causing him to behave very differently with Ga Eul. One moment he was teasing her while the next he would insult her. And her…

 _Love? Why on earth would she fall in love with me?_

The girl was definitely foolish to fall for someone like him.

 _But why did she give up so quickly?_

Had he truly pushed her to her limit? His mind spoke up again that it was good he had pushed her away and she had accepted; she was just a splinter in his path. His heart immediately countered with questions of whether or not he was really okay with seeing her with another man. The image of her in Ji Hoo's arms flittered through his head once more and the beast growled dangerously.

Swallowing, Yi Jeong pinched the bridge of his nose before heaving a sigh. His emotions were too scattered and the cure was simple: the further he stayed from Ga Eul, the better it would be for his sanity.

~oOo~

"Are you sure, Ga Eul?" Ji Hoo asked calmly as he set his tea cup down. It had been just over a year since the disaster ski trip and everything seemed to have been going smooth since then. That is if you don't count the constant bickering between Jan Di and Jun Pyo and threats of break ups flying out both their mouths but never being acted upon.

"Yes," she responded quietly as she tightened her grip on the folder that contained the sheet music. Ever since that day, Ga Eul had found herself getting closer and closer to JI Hoo and had even requested if he could give her piano lessons when she'd heard him playing at Jan Di's birthday. The piano lessons had only brought the two even closer and the more she got to know him, the better she had come to understand why Jan Di had fallen for him. Yoon Ji Hoo truly was a gentleman in every sense.

"Is Yi Jeong going to be okay with this?" He asked. Ga Eul bit her lip and glanced at the said man as he sat at the end of the couch going through files for the museum. She was successful in ignoring him, their conversations being limited to pleasant exchanges of greetings.

"He has nothing to do with this. Besides…I'd feel more comfortable if it were you," she said before Yi Jeong could say anything, although it didn't look like he had been planning to say anything at all.

Her parents had been nagging her about her whereabouts since she barely called them anymore what with handling two jobs, college, and her piano lessons. To shut them up, she'd made up a lie that she was seeing someone. It had done the trick but it had also put her in a predicament for her parents' anniversary was coming up and she was expected to show up with her 'boyfriend'. She'd tried her level best to get out of it but her parents were having none of it. To top it all off, her only female cousin, who was a well-known model, had been teasing her saying that it was just a lie and...well, Ga Eul wasn't going to sit and be ridiculed just like that by Park Hwa Young.

"Why lie to them anyway?" Woo Bin asked from where he was lounging on the opposite couch. Had it not been an emergency, she would've chosen to approach Ji Hoo when these two weren't around, yet here she was.

"I think Ga Eul's developed a crush on Ji Hoo," Yi Jeong spoke up, flipping a page. Her heart did that thing it did whenever she was around him and she chose to ignore his comment. His nonchalance prickled her and she wasn't going to take the bait again. She'd done a good job shutting away her feelings (minus those few times where her heart fluttered) and she wasn't about to let them get in the way of her conversation with Ji Hoo.

" _Sunbae_ ," she said to Ji Hoo.

"Yes?" Yi Jeong responded, looking up at her. Ga Eul's eyes snapped towards him before she looked at Ji Hoo, who was watching the two of them blankly.

"I meant Ji Hoo _sunbae_ ," she corrected. Ga Eul missed the sudden flash of annoyance that passed over Yi Jeong's face and the way his hands tightened on the file he'd been stuck on since the last forty-five minutes that she'd been there.

"Alright. I accept," Ji Hoo said, setting his guitar aside and holding out his hand to her. She looked at it and a smile finally quirked his lips.

"We have to make it believable, Ga Eul. Skinship is a primary part of romantic relationships," he told her. She glanced at the other occupants in the room; one too absorbed in his file, the other looking at her and Ji Hoo with amusement. Tentatively, she reached her hand out to lay it into Ji Hoo's offered one. The delicate fingers curled around hers and he held her hand gently, a smile touching his lips.

"Very childish," Woo Bin said before he hopped onto his feet and moved to stand behind Ga Eul.

"Let me be your date, Ga Eul. A woman needs to be treated properly and our Ji Hoo treats women a bit _too_ properly," he whispered and Ga Eul jumped, her face flaming as his warm breath tickled her ear. An arm slipped around her waist and she was twirled around to find herself staring into Prince Song's mischievous eyes.

"To put on a convincing show, you need to get very _close_ ," and to highlight the word, he pulled her flush against his chest, touching his nose to hers.

"Woo Bin, we want her parents to think she's dating you. Not fucking you," Yi Jeong's voice cut across. Ga Eul glanced at him through the corner of her eyes. She'd thought his tone had an edge to it but she rubbished the thought when she found him simply signing something off and moving onto another file, not once looking her way.

"Isn't that dating though?" Woo Bin asked. Her sneaky 'Observe So Yi Jeong' session was cut short with her squeaking when Woo Bin's fingers slid underneath her shirt to touch the skin of her lower back. Jumping away from him, Ga Eul smacked his chest before glaring, face red from embarrassment.

"I knew there was a reason why I didn't pick you to help me," she snapped.

"Ah, but you considered me?" Woo Bin asked, looking the least bit worried that she was glaring at him nor worried about the fact one of his best friends looked about ready to kill him.

"I had to choose someone," Ga Eul defended.

"And poor Jun Pyo is already taken…but tell me something, was I number one?" Woo Bin asked. She dared not answer that question, not only because he wasn't number one on her list but mostly because she made one hell of a lousy liar with everyone's attention on her. If she spoke, it would only be a matter of seconds before they picked up who her number one choice would always be when it came to picking a boyfriend, real or fake.

"Ji Hoo _sunbae_ ," she said, turning to Ji Hoo while he strummed at his guitar.

"Let her be, Woo Bin," he said and Ga Eul relaxed visibly.

"We all know her first choice will always be me."

" _Sunbae!_ " Ga Eul screeched at Ji Hoo as he chuckled at his own teasing remark.

 _Why couldn't they just drop it?_

She was doing her best to avoid looking at Yi Jeong, afraid that if she looked at him, he'll pick up on the difficulty she faced burying her feelings for him deep within her. The last thing she needed was Yi Jeong teasing her about her attraction to him. Brushing a hand through her hair, Ga Eul bent to grab her purse and swung it over her shoulder.

"Please pick me up at 8 AM tomorrow, _sunbae_ ," she informed Ji Hoo before she departed.

Once she left, it was Yi Jeong's cue to finally focus on one of his best friends. Woo Bin crossed his arms and gave him a challenging look.

"I'll break your fingers if you ever touch her again. She's not that type of girl," he warned.

"And I'll be the one stealing her heart away if you're not going to act on your feelings for her," Ji Hoo stated, putting down his guitar. The ceramist's target switched to Ji Hoo, who was watching him with displeasure. He denied his friends claims almost immediately. He felt nothing for the country bumpkin. Nothing at all.

"I don't feel anything for her. You know that," Yi Jeong said, bristling at the insinuation and refusing to look Ji Hoo in the eye.

"Yi Jeong, Ga Eul is a sweet girl. I don't know what she feels for you but I do know that she holds some form of fondness for me. She's told me herself countless times," Ji Hoo said. The words sent a cold wave rushing through him and Yi Jeong stared at Ji Hoo, anger evaporating as quickly as it had set in.

"She's an easy girl to fall in love with. We're both dealing with broken hearts and the last thing I want is to have to fight with another one of my best friends for a girl," Ji Hoo told him. Yi Jeong stared at him as the words processed. Ji Hoo didn't mean…did he?

" _Yah_ ," Yi Jeong started but Ji Hoo waved him off, picking up his guitar and heading towards the exit that Ga Eul had walked through short while ago.

"To be honest though, I think Ga Eul and Ji Hoo look good together. He's very caring and she's a precious little flower. Together, they'll give Jun Pyo and Jan Di a run for their money," Woo Bin said.

A sudden vision of a smiling Ga Eul standing with Ji Hoo, who had his arm around her, sprung forth in Yi Jeong's mind and his hands fisted by his side. Rage boiled within him but he contained himself, his eyes turning to Woo Bin coldly.

"Oh come on, Yi Jeong. Don't act like you've never dreamt of having a girl like her by your side. If she wasn't so wrapped up with Ji Hoo, I'd definitely snatch her up in a heartbeat," Woo Bin continued, unaware of his best friend's icy glare.

The country bumpkin clearly had to be protected from one Song Woo Bin and kept far away from the gentle Yoon Ji Hoo.

 _Chu Ga Eul…you're going to be the death of me._

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 _We all need that SoEul couple fix, don't we? Here's Chapter 1 of a new fic that will probably be a roller coaster ride of emotions with humor and romance leading the way! Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter! Don't forget to leave your thoughts by hitting that Review button! Until next time!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

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 _He shouldn't be here._

Ga Eul stared at the orange Lotus as it stood before her in front of her gate, the owner leaning against the side with his hands stuffed into his pockets and a gentle smile gracing his features. She had been expecting Ji Hoo and his bike…not the orange vehicle that never failed to make her heart rate speed up.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him, not even bothering to greet him politely. He gave her a charming smile and opened the passenger door for her.

"Ji Hoo couldn't make it so he sent me," he told her.

"He should've told me then," she responded, fishing into her purse to pull out her phone. When she saw him make a move towards her, Ga Eul stepped away from him.

"Please don't," she said to him, halting him in his tracks as she dialed Ji Hoo's number.

"Ga Eul?" Ji Hoo's voice came through the line after she greeted him.

" _Sunbae,_ are you alright? I've been waiting fo-."

"Don't worry about me, Ga Eul. Something's come up and my grandfather needs me to help him out a bit. I sent Yi Jeong in my stead because Woo Bin's not picking up," Ji Hoo explained. She heard commotion on the other end and the former South Korean President's voice could be heard calling for his grandson.

"I'm sorry, Ga Eul. I know Yi Jeong isn't who you expected or wanted but I trust he'll take care of you."

"No, no, I understand. It's okay, _sunbae_. Let me know if you need any help, okay? And please don't exhaust yourself like last time," she said to him, concern clear in her voice as she spoke to him. The last time Ji Hoo had thrown himself into work, he'd come over to the porridge shop to meet Jan Di and had promptly crumpled to the ground. She'd helped him back to her place because she had no idea where he lived and nursed him back to health. He'd scared the living daylights out of her and she didn't want a repeat when no one was around to take care of him.

" _Neh_. You take care of yourself and let me know if Yi Jeong gives you a hard time, okay?" He asked her. At this, she looked over to Yi Jeong and found him busy with his phone, missing the clenched jaw and the tight grip he had on the device.

"I will," she replied. After bidding him a goodbye, she put her phone away and turned to face Yi Jeong.

" _Sunbae_ said explained everything to me so…shall we go?" She asked.

"I always thought that title was reserved for me," he said to her and Ga Eul cursed herself for her resolve faltering when he flashed her that smile that got her heart doing somersaults.

"It's not reserved for anyone. Just a title of respect," she responded, surprised at how normal her voice sounded despite the commotion inside her chest. Moving past him, she headed to the back of the car and opened the boot, throwing her bags in next to his before she climbed into the passenger seat. Buckling herself in, Ga Eul waited patiently for him to climb in, her fingers digging into her knees. Had her parents not been expecting her later today, she would've gone tomorrow or the day after when Ji Hoo was free. This was just pure bad luck.

 _Is it?_

 _Ga Eul, no. Don't even try to get excited at the fact you get to spend time with Yi Jeong_ sunbae _as your boyfriend,_ she chastised herself mentally. She'd already gotten a taste of Yi Jeong as her boyfriend not once, but twice and both times she'd been the one that had to deal with the pain. The driver side door opened and she smelled the familiar scent of the spicy cologne get stronger as he slid into his seat.

"So where are we heading to?" He asked.

"The train station," she replied turning to look at him. Surprise registered on his face and Ga Eul hid her smile at the expression.

"We're taking the KTX to Busan to be with my family. I thought Ji Hoo _sunbae_ told you that," she continued. Judging by the expression on his face, Ji Hoo clearly hadn't conveyed the message.

"Guess I'll have to let someone know to pick up my car," he mused under his breath, and Ga Eul was sure that it wasn't meant for her ears.

The ride to the train station was silent, something Ga Eul was grateful for. Not only did it give her time to think about how she would have to change her plan but also, she kept glancing at him every now and then. It had been so long since she'd been this close to him and she would be lying if she said she didn't miss seeing his face. His hair had grown out a bit in the last year and he'd definitely filled out a bit more. If anything, he'd gotten much more handsome in the time she'd distanced herself from him. Was it even possible for him to get even better looking than he already was?

"This shouldn't be too hard for us," he told her as they walked towards the train. Ga Eul looked at him through the corner of her eyes as the unpleasant memories resurfaced. Clearing her throat, she ran a hand through her hair.

"It's easy for me because I'm used to getting trampled on by you. I just hope you can keep your Casanova charms turned off for the duration of our stay and not let your reputation precede you," she said, climbing into the train and shuffling through the aisle to find their seat. He didn't respond to her but she heard the sigh from behind her.

"Ga Eul," he started.

"I'm going to sleep for a bit," she said, cutting across whatever it was he wanted to say. The memories of their shared moments left a bad taste in her mouth and Ga Eul wasn't in the mood to have a heart to heart with him. He'd clearly shown his disinterest and she wasn't going to offer him the pleasure of hurting her again. She wanted to remain civil with him while they faked a relationship.

Again.

~oOo~

Yi Jeong wasn't an idiot, especially when Chu Ga Eul was concerned. That was probably why he was slightly perturbed with how she wasn't hiding her displeasure to see him in Ji Hoo's stead. While it bothered him that she wanted his best friend more than him, he also knew that he was only here because Ji Hoo couldn't make it.

 _His phone ringing incessantly brought him out of his sleep and he answered it groggily._

 _"You want to spend time with Ga Eul as her boyfriend?" Ji Hoo's voice came down the line. The words 'boyfriend' and 'Ga Eul' snapped him right out of his sleepy haze and he sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes._

 _"What?"_

 _"My grandfather is taking me to Japan in the afternoon for a business deal we have there and I'm supposed to be meeting Ga Eul in two hours. If you think you can take my place, tell me now or I'm calling Woo Bin," Ji Hoo said to him._

 _"No. I'll go," Yi Jeong responded, immediately jumping out of bed and rushing to the bathroom._

 _"Don't you dare call Woo Bin," was the final words Yi Jeong said to Ji Hoo._

So here he was, glancing at her as she nodded off to sleep with her head cocked at an odd angle. She'd distanced herself from him ever since their conversation at the lodge and today was the first day in a very long time where they'd exchanged more than just pleasantries and spent more than five minutes with each other. He knew her sudden desire to sleep was an excuse to distract herself; what they were about to do reminded her a lot about their past encounters and she wasn't the only one that was remembering that time.

He'd definitely shot himself in the foot with his earlier joke and attempt at humor. A part of him knew that he was deserving of the treatment she was blessing him with but another part countered with frustration because this was what he detested in women. Their moods and their lack of desire to talk about how they felt. Why did they have to be so complicated?

He heard a soft "thunk!" and looked over to find Ga Eul's head resting against the window. The frustration and annoyance that had built with her behavior evaporated and Yi Jeong shifted closer to her, gently cupping her cheek and bringing her towards himself. The moment she came close to his body heat, she immediately latched onto his arm and Yi Jeong rolled his eyes, cushioning her head against his shoulder. Her hands curled around his arm as she hugged it but her sleep remained undisturbed. The sight was almost cute but he dismissed that thought and focused out the window.

Ga Eul was a kind and compassionate soul that deserved love from someone who was deserving of her. That person just wasn't So Yi Jeong. It couldn't be. He had nothing to offer her in return for her affections; that is if she even had any left. Ji Hoo had insinuated that Yi Jeong had feelings for Ga Eul but that was just absurd. Sure, he wasn't fond of someone else's attention being fixed on her for too long but it was only because he wanted to look out for her. She deserved someone worthy of her. He was just looking out for her.

~oOo~

When she finally came about, Ga Eul found herself leaning against Yi Jeong's shoulder and her hands wrapped around his arm. There were two things she noticed in that instance. One, he looked even better up close; and two, his biceps were pure muscle if the hardness was anything to go by.

"We're going to reach in another twenty minutes or so," he informed her, eyes not straying from the magazine he was reading. Carefully, she peeled her hands away from his arm and sat up straight, stretching her back and neck.

"I'm sorry for sleeping on you," she said, once she'd taken a swig of water to moisten her parched throat.

"Don't be. You were in deep sleep and I didn't want to disturb you either," he responded, closing the magazine and sliding it into his bag before turning to her and giving her a small smile. He was being considerate and for this time, Ga Eul had to appreciate it. She'd spent more time tossing and turning the night before and while she hadn't meant to use him as her pillow, it was a comfortable sleep that refreshed her.

The remaining ride was silent with her choosing to stare out the window. She tried several times to find topics to converse with him but she couldn't bring herself to verbalize them. When the train finally rolled to a stop at their destination, the two made their way down and headed towards the exit.

"Who else is in your family?" He asked her once they were seated in the taxi, their bags stored safely in the trunk.

"Today you'll just meet my parents since I don't have any siblings," she replied. "As for the rest of them, you'll meet my aunts, uncles, and cousins tomorrow."

"Big family?"

"Two aunts and an uncle from my mother's side and one uncle from my father's side," she said to him, trying her best to hide the smile at his sudden discomfort.

"Don't worry, _sunbae_. I'll try my best to not leave you alone with them. Any time you feel uncomfortable, don't hesitate to make an escape, okay?" Ga Eul asked him. She didn't expect him to play the role perfectly, she hadn't expected it from Ji Hoo either. Her family were an odd bunch and they could become very overwhelming so if he wanted to disappear for a bit, she could definitely understand him. She'd realized that she hadn't been on her best behavior with him and while she wouldn't turn back to her puppy love, she wasn't going to treat him like scum either.

"Ga Eul, don't you think it'll be odd to refer to your boyfriend as _sunbae_ in front of your family?" Yi Jeong asked, this time startling her enough so that she stumbled over her words as she tried to come up with a response.

"You better start practicing calling me ' _oppa_ '," he added with a low snigger.

Oppa? _I can't call him that!_ She thought to herself incredulously. He did have a point though, she couldn't go around calling him ' _sunbae_ ' around her family when she'd told her parents that they were in a very loving relationship.

"I won't call you ' _sunbae_ ' in front of them. Only when we're conversing alone," Ga Eul said. Her thoughts were buzzing and she was glad he didn't say anything after that.

When they arrived at her family home, Ga Eul's heart lurched when she saw a familiar car parked outside the house. The familiar grey Mercedes had her grabbing onto Yi Jeong's elbow after they'd climbed out of the car.

"My Mom's brother is here," she said to him, motioning towards the car that belonged to her sole maternal uncle. He looked at it then at her before he pulled his elbow free. Going back to the trunk, he thanked the driver for taking their minimal luggage out before paying for their ride.

"Relax," he said to her.

 _Easier said than done_ , she thought. Grabbing her own bags, they made their way up the stairs to the porch. Ga Eul's hand was shaking as she lifted it to ring the bell and she began to count in her head as the familiar sound of the bell rung out inside. It was promptly followed by several shouts and footsteps hurrying towards the door. The door flew open and Ga Eul's heart dropped to her stomach when her gaze connected with that of her cousin, Park Hwa Young. _The_ Park Hwa Young, who had graced the covers of several magazines and stood before them dressed in a fashionable grey dress that hugged her figure quite perfectly.

"Ga Eul!" Hwa Young screamed, throwing her arms around her cousin. Ga Eul stood as still as a statue and could only stare blankly at Hwa Young as the girl smiled at her when she pulled back. The smile was bright but it held no warmth whatsoever, rather if surveyed closely, it appeared to be more mocking than anything.

To Yi Jeong, it probably looked like she was very close with her only female cousin but he was so very wrong if he thought that. Hwa Young was and would always be a nightmare for her, especially now that she was a model. The girl was a snake and Ga Eul couldn't even remember how many time she'd had to take a beating for the mistakes Hwa Young had made and had blamed Ga Eul. It always made her sick to the stomach how a girl with such a disgusting personality had ever made it into the modeling world. Not to mention she was quite _successful_ too.

"So where's your so called boyfriend?" Hwa Young asked, the challenging tone evident in her voice. Ga Eul finally blinked out of her stupor and then shoved Hwa Young aside. No way in hell was she getting into this without having met the people she'd come here for.

" _Eomma! Appa!_ I'm home!" She called. No sooner had she yelled, she heard footsteps coming her way and her mother appeared in front of her with her flower printed apron still on while her husband followed. Kang Sun Ja and Chu Jung Ho had a smile plastered onto their faces, eyes lighting up when they fell upon their only daughter.

"Ga Eul!" Her mother exclaimed and Ga Eul smiled brightly as she threw herself into her waiting embrace. She felt a hand on her head and looked up to see her father's adoring smile as he patted her head, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

" _Eomma, Appa,_ I missed you so much!" Ga Eul exclaimed.

"We missed you too. I was just telling your cousin how proud I am of you for handling yourself on your own in Seoul," her mother replied, tapping her head. Ga Eul pulled free from her embrace and turned to face Hwa Young, who rolled her eyes. The girl had the haughty attitude of a model indeed and even though she stood a few feet away from Ga Eul, there was still an air of confidence that radiated from her. It was then that Ga Eul spotted Yi Jeong slowly bringing the luggage she'd dropped at the front door inside the house.

" _Eomma_ , _Appa_ , I want you to meet someone," she said, walking towards Yi Jeong, every step making her heart thump loudly against her chest. This was it, their charade began now.

The ceramist looked up at her as he set his own bag down and realizing that their little act would start now, he flashed her an answering smile and held out his hand to her. His hand was warm and encompassed hers entirely, fingers linking through hers gently. It was oddly comforting to have him hold her hand like so.

" _Aigoo_ , is this the young man that stole my daughter's heart?" Sun Ja gushed as she rushed forward.

" _Annyeonghaseyo_ ," Yi Jeong said with a low bow to her parents. "My name is So Yi Jeong."

" _Omo_ , So Yi Jeong as in…," her father trailed off.

"Woo Sung Museum?" Her mother said simultaneously. Ga Eul's stomach dropped as two new faces appeared when her parents spoke. While Sun Ja radiated warmth with a tender smile, her elder brother Seong Jin's face lacked all the warmth that his sister held. His face was sharp and eyes calculating as they fell on Yi Jeong. His wife, Park Mi Yun, also bore no form of tenderness in her demeanor. One could definitely tell that Hwa Young was Mi Yun's daughter with the way the former carried herself, the familiar air of pride and arrogance surrounding her as it did her mother.

Everyone's eyes were glued to Ga Eul and Yi Jeong's clasped hands before they moved up to their faces. She saw delight in her parents' eyes, coldness in her aunt and uncle's eyes, and disbelief in her cousin's. Although the situation might not have called for it, Ga Eul did take pride in the expression on her cousin's face. If only she could take a photo, but no matter, that moment would forever be etched into her brain. At that thought, Ga Eul suppressed a chuckle and looked at her mother.

She wanted to ask her mother why her uncle had even shown up considering he hated coming to their place because of how "small" and "cramped" it was. It wasn't as if he cared about his sister that much. He had his own business to run and he looked down on anyone that wasn't in the business line of work, including his own brother in law.

" _Gomo_ , I don't think Ga Eul has it in her to seduce South Korea's Casanova," Hwa Young said, interrupting her train of thought. Her initial reaction was that of anger but Ga Eul's heart dropped when she saw the delight get wiped clean off her parent's face. Of course Hwa Young must've heard of Yi Jeong with her line of work and his popularity.

" _Yah_ , Sun Ja, didn't you teach your daughter to find a good man for herself?" Seong Jin asked his younger sister, his gaze sharp and cool while his daughter only crossed her arms.

" _Hyungnim,_ it's really not our place to s-."

"Forgive me for interrupting but since it is my reputation at stake, I might as well just speak up. Ga Eul is very special to me and while I don't deny that I am indeed the "Casanova", the media makes me out to be a much more terrible person than I really am," Yi Jeong spoke, sensing the sudden tension in the room and Ga Eul's obvious discomfort. She made a mental note to thank him later when they were alone. Her uncle's gaze only hardened at she knew that the only reason he did not say anything was because Yi Jeong was the heir of the So family.

"Your daughter is in good hands," Yi Jeong said, fixing his attention on her parents and giving them a low bow.

"We'll see," was all Seong Jin said before he grabbed his coat and walked past them towards the main door, leaving it open so his wife and daughter could follow them out. Ga Eul's eyes caught her aunt's briefly and she almost recoiled from the coldness that pierced her. Mi Yun said nothing and continued to follow her husband out, not even answering the polite farewell from Ga Eul's family and Yi Jeong.

"Yi Jeong _oppa_ , I've seen the pictures and I've heard all about you. There's no way you would change for Ga Eul," Hwa Young said as she chuckled and grabbed her coat.

"And Ga Eul, at least bring someone who is more convincing to fit into the role of your boyfriend. I know you're jealous of me but come on, stop leeching off your best friend's popularity," she remarked before the door slammed shut, leaving the poisonous words hanging in the air behind her.

It was silent between the four remaining members but after a few moments, Sun Ja finally broke the silence by clearing her throat and clapping her hands.

"Well, why don't we move into the living room? Yi Jeong- _ssi_ , I hope you don't mind jasmine tea as it's one of our family's favorite and comes from Ga Eul's grandfather's village," Sun Ja said, smiling politely at Yi Jeong who simply shook his head.

"Not at all! I now understand why Ga Eul loves jasmine tea so much," Yi Jeong said. Ga Eul's gaze snapped to his and she narrowed her eyes at his sudden comment. How had he known that she loved jasmine tea? She didn't remember them ever having a conversation about their likes and dislikes.

"Wonderful! Ga Eul, come help me in the kitchen," Sun Ja said, motioning for Ga Eul to follow her. She glanced at Yi Jeong, who gave her an encouraging nod, before their hands detangled and she followed her mother into the kitchen. She heard her father and Yi Jeong move into the living room before her mother took her attention.

"He seems like a nice boy," Sun Ja said as she set the water to boil. Ga Eul swallowed and nodded, remaining quiet and trying her best to focus on her fake relationship. Her Uncle and his family's presence had definitely shaken that confidence in her, especially with Yi Jeong's history and Hwa Young's love for gossip. It would've been much better had it been Ji Hoo but remembering her Uncle's personality, he probably would've ridiculed Ji Hoo's autism.

 _I really should've chosen Woo Bin_ sunbae _,_ she thought to herself. At least Prince Song's name would've kept everyone's mouth shut…but her parents would never have approved and that would cause another massive misunderstanding.

Who was she kidding? None of the three F4 members were a good choice to play her fake boyfriend. Scratch that, she shouldn't have lied about this in the first place. Now she'd just have to deal with the consequences.

"Ga Eul, you know I trust you, but if what Hwa Young said is true…," Sun Ja trailed off and Ga Eul immediately shook her head.

" _Eomma_ , you heard what he said. The tabloids always make it worse than it actually is and besides, I know him much better than her knows himself," Ga Eul responded, flinching inwardly at her last words. They were too true for this fake relationship of theirs. She truly did know Yi Jeong better than he knew himself and that was something he _didn't_ need to know.

"I hope so, Ga Eul. I hope so," Sun Ja responded as she fixed the tray with the tea cups. Ga Eul knew she hadn't won her mother's trust in Yi Jeong just yet and she cursed Hwa Young for opening her mouth while Yi Jeong was cursed for not being able to keep it in his pants. As the mother and daughter headed to the living room, Ga Eul wondered if her father had been charmed by Yi Jeong or if he too was hesitant to accept someone like him in his daughter's life.

With the way the two were sitting across from each other and speaking very little, Ga Eul had a feeling that Hwa Young's words had done the trick and had planted that seed of doubt in her parent's head.

" _O-Oppa,_ " Ga Eul said, hoping that no one picked up on the way her breath caught at addressing him as so. It was the way he looked at her when she called him that made her weak in the knees and she dropped into a seating position unceremoniously next to him. She could feel her parents' gaze on her and plastered a smile on her face.

" _Eomma_ brought out the hand crafted tea set that she loves so much just for you," Ga Eul said, motioning to the tray her mother had just placed on the table between them.

"Ah, you remembered? It is indeed one of my favorites. It's a gift from Jan Di's boyfriend when he came to visit us with Ga Eul and Jan Di few months ago," Sun Ja said, her eyes glazing over as she happily recalled the moment the Shinhwa heir walked into her home.

Ga Eul saw Yi Jeong bite his lip as if stopping himself from laughing and she threw him a questioning look. He coughed a couple of times and Ga Eul's eyes only narrowed at his actions.

"Gu Jun Pyo is one of my best friends," Yi Jeong said after he'd gathered himself and shock flew across her parents' faces once more.

"Ah but of course, the So family often deals with the Shinhwa group," her father spoke up. As an employee of Shinhwa Corporation and based in Busan, Jung Ho was well aware of the company's partners and their dealings as a part of his job.

"Surely you must know about Il Shin Construction and Su Am Cultural Foundation then?" Yi Jeong asked, earning an enthusiastic nod from her father.

"Song Woo Bin and Yoon Ji Hoo are also two of my best friends. The four of us, we're brothers really," Yi Jeong explained fondly. Once more, Ga Eul saw shock fly across the faces of her parents and she knew that while they weren't ready to welcome Yi Jeong with open arms, they were mighty impressed. Not only was he best friends with the Shinhwa heir but also with the former President's grandson and Prince Song himself.

"The best part is that they've got hearts bigger than their parents," Ga Eul spoke up before she could stop herself. The words had simply come tumbling out so when three pairs of eyes fixed on her, she had no option but to continue the thought that had been vocalized when it wasn't supposed to have been.

"Jun Pyo _sunbae_ would literally buy stars for Jan Di's happiness if it were possible. Ji Hoo _sunbae_ is compassionate and wants nothing more than to see his best friends happy, even if he has to sacrifice his own happiness. Woo Bin _sunbae_ is the protector who'd rather get hurt himself than let an innocent get hurt. And Yi Jeong _oppa_ understands people and their feelings much better than anyone else I've ever met before," Ga Eul spoke, her eyes trailing from the tea cup nestled in her hands to the young man sitting next to her.

She remembered his words of caution when she'd first met him. He hadn't been worried about Jun Pyo, rather Jan Di who, in his eyes, was a strong girl but would break under Madame Kang's harsh treatment when her relationship with Jun Pyo would come to light.

"He cares more about people than he lets on and he denies it every time you say anything to him," she finished, the corner of her lips quirking up when Yi Jeong opened his mouth to retort. He shut it immediately when her parents looked between them and her mother burst into giggles.

" _Omo, yeobo,_ these two remind you of us don't they?" Sun Ja asked between her giggles, placing a hand on her husband's arm. Jung Ho only chuckled as he nodded his head, leaving Ga Eul to turn a nice shade of pink.

" _Eomma! Appa!_ " Ga Eul hissed under her breath. The last thing she wanted was for her parents to start comparing her fake relationship to their own more successful and lovable one. Although she could still see some hesitancy in their eyes, they did appear more relaxed with Yi Jeong's presence.

"Ga Eul, you should take it as a compliment considering they got married and had a child together," Yi Jeong said. A hush fell around them as Ga Eul's head whipped to the side to look at him, eyes wide and emotions evading her. He casually took a sip of his tea and smiled at her mother politely.

"The tea is indeed delicious," was all he said.

 _Why on earth would he say something like that? What is wrong with this guy?_ She was screaming inside her head. Somewhere inside her, the feelings she had buried deep within bubbled and firmly scolded herself.

 _No. It's just an act. He doesn't mean any of it,_ she reminded herself angrily.

"Ah, yes. Tea," her mother said, glancing at her father from the corner of her eyes. Ga Eul gripped her tea cup tighter and sent a cool glare towards Yi Jeong, who looked completely at home as he drank his tea with a gentle blow to cool the liquid a bit. Her parents were doing it again, the silent conversations through their eyes that never failed to make Ga Eul restless.

"It's good you told us beforehand that you would be bringing him along, we cleared out the spare bedroom," her mother said, standing up and gathering their empty tea cups after they'd finished. The conversation had been light afterwards and she noticed her parents growing comfort with Yi Jeong. Even though her father was trying his level best not to show it, she saw the way his eyes twinkled as Yi Jeong listened to him talk about his job.

They really were called F4 for a reason, easily charming and impressing people with their smoothness. Well except Jun Pyo, he was just boisterous and demanded everyone's attention wherever he went, even without meaning to.

" _Abeonim_ ," Yi Jeong spoke up. "Would it be alright if I take Ga Eul out for a walk? She's mentioned this place a few times and I was curious about the neighborhood."

And that was how she knew her parents were impressed. The way they smiled and her father nodded at him with a slight over-enthusiastic "Of course!" was a dead giveaway that whatever words Hwa Young had said earlier had been dispelled from their head. Yi Jeong had managed to eradicate their concerns with his simple display of interest in Ga Eul's family and her well-being.

"There's a nice café a few streets away, the one that sells the best hot chocolate. Ga Eul, you remember that one, don't you?" Her mother asked as she bustled towards the kitchen. "Take Yi Jeong- _ssi_ with you and enjoy your time together, okay?"

" _Eomeonim, Abeonim_ , please don't address me so formally," Yi Jeong said, standing up and giving them a small bow.

"I know it's a bit difficult to deal with your daughter's boyfriend and especially when said boyfriend's image has been ruined by tabloids," he continued standing straight and looking at her parents, "but the last thing I want is to disappoint Ga Eul."

The words sounded sincere, _too_ sincere, which was probably why she was having such a hard time believing him and had suppressed her scoff with difficulty. He was just being too sincere with everything and Ga Eul had to remind herself not to get wrapped up in another fantasy like she had last year. He was one hell of an actor.

"We hope you won't hurt our princess, Yi Jeong- _ah_ ," her father said, his voice mimicking the sincerity in Yi Jeong's words.

"Then we'll head out!" Ga Eul snapped, too fed up with the weird atmosphere in the living room. She grabbed Yi Jeong's wrist and pulled him along to the front door, tossing his coat to him before hastily donning her own coat and shoes.

"Come on," she said in a flat tone. The moment he had his shoes on, she pulled him along with him. Down the front path, against the chilly winter wind, she continued to drag him until they were a safe distance away from her parent's home.

"Ga Eul, slow down. What's gotten into you?" He said to her, watching her curiously while she pulled him along. At this, she stopped and whirled around to face him, her eyes fiery and her face set in a mask of anger.

"What are you playing at?" She spat. Yi Jeong blinked, having never faced an enraged Ga Eul before, this was not only something new but also something quite amusing.

"Wasn't it you that lied about the fake boyfriend thing? I'm just here to fulfill the role," he replied, freeing his arm and crossing his arms before his chest. Fixing her with a look that looked a lot accusatory than she'd expected. It only fueled the anger and she stalked closer to him, her finger poking his chest.

" _Sunbae_ , I know what I signed up for. You _do not_ need to be so sincere about everything you say," she growled. "This is fake. All of it. The happiness, the love, the joy, this relationship is all a fake. We've done this before and I know how this works with you but my parents don't."

She was positively seething. Her anger had begun to simmer when her mother had compared Yi Jeong and her to herself and her husband. It felt like a slap in the face and while her mother hadn't meant to mock her, Ga Eul did feel like she'd been insulted by that comparison.

"Ga Eul," he started but she barreled on, cutting across him.

"I'm not expecting anything from this but please, _please_ don't make my parents think we stand a chance. You and I know how this is going to end and I don't want my parents to think that our relationship is anywhere near as perfect as theirs, got it?" She asked him, her eyes boring into his as her lips were pulled back from her teeth in an angry snarl. Her parents had the type of relationship she wished to have with her future partner and the idea of them thinking that Ga Eul and Yi Jeong could have a long-lasting relationship was too much to handle.

It was even more disturbing that her own heart had fluttered when he'd taken her disappointment into consideration. One year clearly wasn't enough to get rid of the affection you held for someone but Ga Eul wouldn't stop trying.

"Aren't you being a bit too harsh, Ga Eul?" He asked, his own smile slipping to be replaced by a much darker look.

"Why shouldn't I be? 'The last thing I want is to disappoint Ga Eul'? 'Take it as a compliment' because my parents got married? Do you have any idea how those words are being perceived by people who have no idea that this relationship is nothing more than an act?" She asked him incredulously, her shoulders slumping while she stepped away and ran a hand across her face.

"I'm doing what I would do if it were any girl, Ga Eul," he said. Whether it was his words or the lack of emotion as he said the words but a chill swept up her spine before curling around her heart.

"No girl has been left unsatisfied whenever she's spent time with me," he said.

 _I did._ She wanted to scream those words at him and preferably land a smack on his face too but her body wasn't cooperating with her. So all she did was stare at him as he continued to speak, his eyes emotionless and darker than usual.

"I'm only playing along with the character of the loving boyfriend that _you_ conjured in your parents' heads," he retorted.

"Don't turn it around to blame me, _sunbae_ ," she said to him sharply.

"Last time I checked, I wasn't the one that suggested a fake relationship nor was I the one that told you to lie to them. I also wasn't the one that chose to come here with you. I'm only here because Ji Hoo asked me to be," he finished, brushing past her without so much as a backward glance. Ga Eul watched his retreating back and while she knew his words were true, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing she agreed with him.

She didn't want to do it but she sped up to catch up with him, her hands already dialing Ji Hoo's number.

" _Yoboseyo,_ " he answered.

"Ji Hoo _sunbae_ , are you sure you can't show up here?" She asked Ji Hoo as her feet carried her past Yi Jeong who had paused and turned to look at her as if waiting for her to show the way to the café.

"Ga Eul? Is everything alright?" He asked, concern evident in his voice.

"No. It isn't. I want you to come here and show my parents how you're a better boyfriend than Yi Jeong _sunbae_ ," she said, making sure to say the words loud enough for the young man walking behind her to hear.

"Ga Eul?"

"Don't bother, Ji Hoo. You'll only get a migraine if you show up here and pretend to be this girl's boyfriend," Yi Jeong interrupted. Ga Eul threw him an icy glare, an equally icy one being sent her way too.

"Ji Hoo _sunbae_ , you're best friend is acting like a jerk," Ga Eul said into the phone, stopping as her glare pierced Yi Jeong. He grabbed the phone from her hand and switched it to speaker.

" _Yah_ , Ji Hoo, this girl's so unsophisticated and blames me for her own problems," Yi Jeong said into the phone.

"No I don't!" Ga Eul protested, shoving Yi Jeong's shoulder.

"Not to mention she gets physical and beats up people when they try to help her," Yi Jeong continued.

" _Yah_!" She yelled, her anger getting the best of her. She threw herself against him as her fists began to pound against his chest. He merely stumbled back from the force and then grabbed one of her wrists.

"She's a barbarian, Ji Hoo!" Yi Jeong yelled into the phone. Growling in frustration, he grabbed her wrists in both hands while he held her phone to his ear using his shoulder. Spinning them around, he pushed her against the nearest wall, pinning her arms to place.

"You two are acting like a couple having their first fight," Ji Hoo said. The words made both of them freeze and Ga Eul looked up into Yi Jeong's face, her face suddenly blank.

"Listen here, both of you. I'm not coming to Busan because judging with the way you two are behaving, I don't think you need any help in convincing your parents about anything. Ga Eul, Yi Jeong makes a better boyfriend than I do and Yi Jeong, treat her right, _arasso?_ " Ji Hoo asked them. The two simply stared at each other doing expert jobs at keeping their faces bare of any emotion.

" _Ne_ ," Ga Eul replied, giving Yi Jeong a gentle shove as if to say 'Please let me go'. He stepped away from her and slipped her phone into his hands.

" _Mianhaeyo, sunbae_ ," she said. Yi Jeong looked at her and even Ga Eul herself didn't know who her apology was directed to.

"Don't worry about it. Just try not to fight like that in front of your family, Ga Eul," Ji Hoo said. Ga Eul played along with it, grabbing her phone and bidding a farewell to Ji Hoo. She put it back into her small bag and then looked at Yi Jeong.

"Ga Eul, I don't know how this is going to work if you're just going to blame me. So either you tell me how you want me to behave with your parents around or-."

"Just treat me like a girlfriend, _sunbae_ ," she said, her voice sounding worn.

"I did. You didn't like it," he responded.

"Treat me like how you did when we went on that fake date," she said to him and with the way his eyes suddenly unfocussed, she knew he was taking a stroll down memory lane. She was too.

It was with a deep sigh that she realized that Yi Jeong had indeed been treating her the same as he had that night. He'd treated her as if she was his world and even in front of her parents, he'd put her happiness above everything. She'd played this part before, then why was it so difficult to do the same a year later? It wasn't as if something had changed between them…

…had it?

* * *

 _Here is chapter number 2! I promise we'll see what's happening with the others next time. Don't forget to leave me a Review before you go!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

They sat facing each other at a small table in the café, nursing their cups of hot chocolate in their hands. Things had been silent between Ga Eul and Yi Jeong, something that in the old days would've been rare but was not so anymore due to their lack of interactions with each other. The phone call to Ji Hoo had been on whim but he was the only one she could think of when it came to her troubles. Her fingers gripped her mug tighter and she heaved a sigh.

"Ga Eul," Yi Jeong broke the silence between them, earning her gaze on him.

"We shouldn't have fought like we did earlier and really there was no reason for you to call Ji Hoo," he said.

"Why are you bringing Ji Hoo _sunbae_ 's name into this? Our argument was reasonable," she replied the moment he stopped talking. She saw a flash of annoyance pass over his face before he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"No it wasn't. I'm here because Ji Hoo asked me to be and you need me to be here," he said.

"I don't _need_ you to do anything for me," Ga Eul said, her temper flaring at him suggesting that she needed him. It felt like a slap in the face to hear him say such a thing, especially after how hard it had been for her to rein in her feelings for him and lock them away.

"You certainly need me to act like your boyfriend, don't you?" He asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Yi Jeong _sunbae_ , please don't forget that the only reason you're here is because Ji Hoo _sunbae_ couldn't make it," she reminded him. There was another moment of silence that passed between them during which Ga Eul gulped down her hot chocolate. She licked her lips and then looked at him, momentarily stunned when she found his eyes locked on her lips. There was a strange look in his eyes but when his eyes lifted up to meet hers, it was gone.

"Is that a bad thing, Ga Eul?" He asked. "I'm doing what any boyfriend would do for his girlfriend."

"That's the thing, _sunbae_. You're making it _too real_ ," she said in exasperation. She'd been on the receiving end of his "boyfriend" act one too many times and both times he'd shut her down the moment the spectators had turned their backs on them. He'd rendered her feeling into nothing but something he could use and throw according to his will and seeing him do it again was making her agitated. More so since the charade was for her parents.

"Is that a problem?" Yi Jeong asked quietly.

"Yes! Like I said before, you and I know that this will end the moment we leave my parents' home but my parents don't know that. They'll want this to continue between us when we both know it's impossible," she barreled on. Something about their conversation stung her but she had to get the words out there. Ga Eul knew he didn't do relationships but saying the words out loud, in some way she was reminding herself not to get too carried away in this. A sense of reassurance that what they were doing wasn't going to last long and she won't hurt herself if she kept repeating that this was fake in her head over and over again.

Ga Eul stood up and pulled on her coat, wrapping her scarf around her neck. She looked at him to see him looking at his half empty mug of hot chocolate. Brushing her hand through her hair as she plopped her hat over her head, Ga Eul told him she would wait for him outside. Turning on her heel, she carefully made her way out the busy café and halted to the side once she'd exited.

She made the mistake of looking into the café window towards where he sat and Ga Eul felt her heart drop as she spotted a girl approach him with a flirtatious smile on her face. Instinct told her to look away but her eyes remained fixed on the exchange. The girl said something to him and he listened quietly, the mug lifted to his lips while he took his drink. A sour expression came over Ga Eul's face when she saw his lips curve into that heart-stopping smile of his after he set his mug down.

"Casanova indeed," she muttered under her breath, hating how seeing him smile at another girl bothered her so much.

 _I don't care. I don't care. I don't care._

She was repeating the words like a mantra in her head but the more they rang in her head, the more meaningless they became. He continued to chat with the girl and Ga Eul knew he was chatting her up. Anger simmered within her and she crossed her arms before her chest, digging her fingers into her sides. She turned away from the sight, giving them her back as she waited for him to finish flirting and come out so they could go home.

 _I should just head home_ , she thought to herself. She took a step to make her way back but paused immediately.

 _But Yi Jeong_ sunbae _doesn't know the way back,_ a small voice in her head reminded her.

 _He's busy with another girl anyway,_ she argued back with herself.

 _So you punish him by letting him get lost in a city he doesn't know in the middle of winter?_

Ga Eul bit her bottom lip, glancing over her shoulder to see him stand and give the girl another charming smile. No. She couldn't do that to him. She may get angry with him, she may disagree with him, but she couldn't just leave him stranded out in the cold. It wasn't because she was worried for him ( _she wasn't!_ ) but simply because that wasn't the type of person she was.

"Ready to go?" He asked, bringing her out of her thoughts as he appeared next to her, fixing his coat and buttoning it up. Ga Eul looked at him then blinked a few times to clear her head. Nodding, she began to walk the path that lead to her home.

" _Sunbae_?" She said when they had been walking for a few minutes.

"Yes?"

"I know it's going to be difficult for you but while we're here could you please refrain from flirting with other girls?" She asked, not daring to look at him just in case if he misunderstood anything.

"I wa-."

"Just for a week, okay?" She pressed. "I just want to get through all this smoothly."

Saying so, Ga Eul sped up her pace wanting to put distance between them so that he could not talk to her. That was how the approached her house, Ga Eul marching in front and Yi Jeong following her silently, his eyes never straying from her. She stopped at the front gate and waited for him to catch up. Once he had, she wrapped a hand around his arm and faced the pathway.

"Let me get this straight, I'm not allowed to act like a sincere boyfriend to you but you're allowed to touch me freely and act like a sincere girlfriend?" He asked. Ga Eul froze at his words before she pulled her hand back. She wasn't sure if he meant to sound as accusing as he did.

"You're confusing me, Ga Eul. What am I allowed to do to you? What am I not allowed to do? What are you allowed to do to me?" He asked, not moving an inch from where he stood. Ga Eul's eyes darted around them, hoping that no one was around to hear his words.

"Haven't we had this conv-."

"Actually we haven't. All I've had to listen to is you blaming me for your lies to your family, getting upset with me when I try to help you out by acting as your boyfriend, and touching me when you feel like it," he snapped. There was no doubt he was upset but Ga Eul couldn't figure out why he was being like this right in front of her house where the conversation could easily be heard if her parents stuck their heads out the window.

"Yi J-."

"Tell me now what you expect me to do, Ga Eul? The girl for whom I took time out of my schedule to help has been doing nothing but arguing with me when I try to do what she expects me to do. Why is it that she gets to act like a girlfriend when I'm banned from doing that is expected of me to do?" He asked, his voice rising with every syllable.

" _Sunbae_ ," Ga Eul breathed sharply, slapping a hand to his mouth as panic gripped her heart when she heard her mother's voice calling her name from the other side of the door. A few seconds later the door flew open and her mother appeared before them, her smile faltering when she noticed her daughter covering her boyfriend's mouth. Sun Ja cleared her throat before she shuffled back with an awkward "Come in whenever you're done".

" _This_ is precisely why Ji Hoo _sunbae_ was the best choice," she said angrily before she turned and stormed inside the house. Kicking off her shoes, she called a hasty "We're home!" to her parents and shrugged off her coat. Shutting the door of her room behind her, Ga Eul slid into her bed and curled into a ball. Anger and pain swirled within her and she didn't know what to do. Her hands sought her phone and her fingers found the number she needed before she pressed the call button.

" _Yoboseyo?_ " Ji Hoo's voice came down the line and hearing it, Ga Eul's bottom lip trembled.

" _Sunbae_ ," she said hoarsely, her throat clogging up.

"Ga Eul?"

The concern that filled his voice, the softness of it, the care that filled it…why couldn't it have been Ji Hoo with her? Ga Eul let out a shaky breath and gripped her phone closer to her ear.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

"I…I'm fine," she replied softly. "I just…"

"Just?" He pondered.

"I just wanted to hear your voice, _sunbae_ ," she finished her thought. Yoon Ji Hoo definitely had that effect on her. He was always the one that calmed her down, made her see rationality when her mind was too swamped with negativity.

"What did he do?" Ji Hoo asked quietly.

"Why do you both keep bringing each other up?" She asked him, agitated.

"Ga Eul," he began.

"No. I just wanted one week, one week where I could show my family that I'm happy in Seoul and I have a reason to not come back as often as I do. It's not even been twelve hours and I'm already convinced that this is going to fail already," she said.

"Ga Eul," he repeated.

"You think Hwa Young would let me hear the end of this? You think _oe sookbu_ and _oe sookmo_ will let my parents hear the end of this? I was being petty, I know. I know! To pick someone from the F4 as my boyfriend, it was a stupid idea but all I wanted to do was one up my family's naysayers because no one ever dares to talk back to any of you.

"I was being selfish just as much as I was being petty. I'm sick and tired of seeing everyone talk down to my family and I wanted to end it all. Coming here with you was supposed to put an end to all their talks. Then _he_ had to come along and while I thought it would work, it's not. It's not working at all," she rambled on.

" _Ga Eul_ ," Ji Hoo's voice was sharp. Sharper than she'd ever heard thus she promptly fell silent, the clock on her bed side table ticking the seconds noisily in the silence of her room.

"I sent Yi Jeong in my place because I thought he would be the most comfortable one with you but if it's causing you more harm than good, I need you to tell me right now. I'll fly back immediately and we'll find a way to make me take Yi Jeong's place," Ji Hoo said.

 _Fly back_.

That meant he was already in Tokyo and Ga Eul felt sick to her stomach at her own behavior as the implication of his words set in. His grandfather had clearly taken him there for a reason so why was she bothering him like so?

"Ga Eul," he prodded.

"No. You don't need to do anything like that…I just…I just don't know what to do," she said quietly. There was a moment of silence that passed between them and she could hear his steady breathing at the other end.

"Did you talk to him?" He asked after a while.

"Our conversations turn into arguments within a matter of minutes," she replied. Again she was met with silence and in this time she picked at the loose thread of her blanket.

"Talk to him, Ga Eul. What you've told me, tell him. He can't help you until he himself doesn't know what he's supposed to do," he explained to her.

"Yi Jeong _sunbae_ has been too sincere with his efforts," Ga Eul said quietly.

"That's a bad thing?"

That question again. She was silent. If she answered affirmative, then she'd have to explain to Ji Hoo that it was bad because she wasn't sure if she could keep a lid on her feelings. If she denied, then again she would have to explain why it wasn't a bad thing per se but from where she was standing, it wasn't good at all. Ji Hoo sighed and Ga Eul bit her lip, awaiting his next words. Would he tell press her to answer his question?

"Talk to him, Ga Eul. There's no reason for you not to tell him what you've told me," he advised. She shook her head even though her mouth formed the words of agreement, knowing that approaching the topic with Yi Jeong would only lead them to more arguments but at the same time not wanting to trouble Ji Hoo.

"Good. Call me if you need anything, alright?"

"Yes. Take care," she whispered into the received before rolling over onto her back and staring up at the ceiling. A knock came at her door and Ga Eul sat up immediately when the door opened a crack. Her mother poked her head in and gave her a smile before she came into the room.

"Yi Jeong and your father seem to be hitting off well," she said to Ga Eul. Sun Ja took a seat on her daughter's bed and looked at her with affection.

"We were worried about you living on your own after we moved, Ga Eul. Although I think now that I've met Yi Jeong, I have nothing to worry about," she continued. Ga Eul gripped the pillow she was hugging tighter as her mother continued to speak. There was no shred of distrust as she spoke about Yi Jeong like there had been earlier when he'd first met her.

" _Eomma_."

"He's a very nice young man. I should've known right after he mentioned Jun Pyo that I didn't have anything to worry about. Jun Pyo takes such good care of Jan Di and I'm glad my daughter has found someone to cherish her just the same," Sun Ja caressed Ga Eul's head.

" _Eomma_ , shouldn't you be telling me not to get too lost in this relationship?" Ga Eul asked, hoping her mother would be open to the notion of Yi Jeong and her relationship not lasting.

"Relationships are like that, Ga Eul. They either work or they don't but sometimes, you can tell when a relationship is going to work out. Even as a spectator," Sun Ja said.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that when that young man looks at you, I see the same warmth and care in his eyes for you that I see in your father's eyes for me," she said. Her stomach churned and Ga Eul had a wave of nausea pass over her as her mother's words processed in her head.

Again, the comparison between her parents and her relationship with Yi Jeong. She wanted to scream at her mother and tell her to not give Ga Eul hope. Hope that would be crushed the moment they returned back to Seoul. She wanted her mother to not encourage the feelings that she'd locked away, the very ones that wanted nothing more than to soar through her and let her experience being Yi Jeong's girlfriend for more than a few hours.

"Ga Eul, do _you_ think Yi Jeong and you have no future?" Sun Ja asked. Ga Eul opened her mouth to reply before she snapped it shut. What was it with people asking her questions that she couldn't answer with simple Yes or No?

"I…I'm afraid," she said finally.

"Afraid?"

"You know his reputation. The whole of South Korea knows his reputation and even Hwa Young had a point. How can one change like so for another person?" She asked. Her mother had been her confidant and Ga Eul couldn't stop the questions from spilling forward. Questions that not only reminded her of their lack of future but also questions that she couldn't ask anyone else.

"Do you trust him?" Sun Ja asked. She was met with silence as Ga Eul pondered the question. Did she trust Yi Jeong? In what sense though? Did she trust him enough to spend time with him alone in a room? Of course, he would never lay a finger on her against her wishes. Did she trust him not to take advantage of her if he dropped her home? Yes. Did she trust him not to hurt her?

 _No_.

"I don't know," was all she said.

"Take the leap and trust him. Think about it, he's here with you isn't he? The So family has expectations from him and yet he's all the way here in Busan with you," Sun Ja said gently.

 _Only because Ji Hoo_ sunbae _couldn't make it,_ she said inwardly.

 _He still could've said no, Ga Eul. He could've declined and you could've been here with Woo Bin_ sunbae _,_ the wretched voice at the back of her head replied. It gave her something else to think about and Ga Eul felt confusion ripple through her.

"Also, come out and spend time with your father, Yi Jeong, and me. I think I left your father as he was telling Yi Jeong about the first time we met each other back in college. Come along," Sun Ja said, standing up and pulling her daughter onto her feet. She all but dragged Ga Eul out of her room and the unsuspecting Ga Eul found herself being nudged into the seat next to Yi Jeong.

Ga Eul knew he had his mask of the charmer perfectly in place as he conversed with her father. It was the sudden tension in his shoulders and the way his back straightened the moment she sat next to him that gave him away to her. He was still upset with her and the stubborn part of her wanted nothing more than to ignore him but the rational part of her was reminded of Ji Hoo and her mother's words.

She'd have to talk to him and she'd have to do it before the family dinner tomorrow. Hwa Young and her family would be in attendance and if any of those three picked up on their lies, her parents' anniversary party will be ruined and so will the peace that her parents had maintained in their house. Her uncle will no doubt slander her until she was nothing but a lump of dust, her aunt would spread poison about her in her society, while Hwa Young…well there was no saying what the young lady _wouldn't_ do to make her cousin sister a laughing stock in the country.

That's right. She'd have to talk things out with him. _Rationally_.

* * *

 _Reviews are much appreciated!_


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